Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R), is a Republican presidential candidate for 2024. He says that, if elected, he will “end” war on drugs, stressing the importance of a treatment-based strategy to help people with addiction.
A mother whose son was in prison after fentanyl struggles asked Christie, during a CNN town hall, what he “would do about the war against drugs, which obviously has failed so miserably”?
The former federal prosecutor responded, “End it,” despite his opposition towards marijuana legalization and his previous pledges to enforce the prohibition in legalized states during his 2016 Presidential campaign.
“I’m going to concentrate on the treatment. Your son, and I’m not pretending to know him. But I do know that many people have been through this. Christie added, “I’ve lost some close friends to this disease.” “He is suffering from a similar disease as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes.” It’s a disease and he is treatable.”
He said, “I want to ensure that we interdict as much of the fentanyl as possible coming across our borders.” “I’d use the National Guard in order to increase that.” This part of the drug war, lowering supply, should be continued.”
Christie stated that the notion that someone will not become addicted if they are incarcerated is absurd. “And this has been proven wrong because, you know what? In prison, they get drugged. Let’s face it, let’s not be a hypocrite. “Let’s stop stigmatizing it.”
The former governor who served as a member of an opioid-focused committee under the Trump administration then made an interesting comparison to how the country treats those who are addicted tobacco and those who are currently using illegal drugs.
My mother was a drug addict. She was addicted. He said that she started smoking at 16 and died of lung cancer when she was 71. “When she was diagnosed, nobody told me that she had known it would cause cancer since 1964. She deserved it. I never tried hiding my mother’s condition from anyone. “I wasn’t ashamed.”
He continued, “But what if she was heroin addicted instead of a nicotine addict?” Think I would have told everyone? Do you think people would have rushed her to help? We must change this dynamic. A president can change this dynamic by talking about the disease, and saying that your son is in need of the treatment to help him have the redemption that I spoke about.”
Christie also said that, beyond his personal experience with addiction, his views on drug crime and addiction were based on his Catholicism.
He said: “Yes, I’m serious about crime. And the dealers making money from this should be punished.” “But your child sitting in jail, if the crime was that he had enough money to feed his own addiction – in my opinion, he shouldn’t be in jail right now. He should be in rehab, learning to cope with addiction and come home to you. As president, that’s exactly what I would want. And I will fight for it.
Christie’s drug policies were better understood through his comments at the CNN event held last week. Christie’s position also seems to be marked by contradictions. He wants to “end the drug war,” but only in parts, and he opposes legalizing cannabis, even though he has somewhat shifted his views on this issue.
Christie has stated throughout his career that he believes cannabis is a gateway substance, that the tax revenue generated by regulated sales is “blood money”, and that marijuana consumption inhibits productivity and puts children in danger.
New Hampshire lawmakers reach agreement on creating Marijuana commission to formulate state-run sales model
The post Chris Christie Promises to ‘End The Drug War’ If Elected As President first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
